1. Field
The subject invention is in the fields of vessels intended for ferrying vehicles and passengers and of vessels which derive support from a captured quantity of air known as a bubble, which depend on the displacement provided by a body mounted below the main hull of the vessel on struts and which are equipped with hydrofoils for support and control. It is also in the field of vessels having a plurality of decks having a plurality of lanes for vehicles on each deck.
2. Prior Art
There is well known prior art in all the fields cited above, including ferry boats having multiple decks with a plurality of lanes on each deck. There is no prior art known to the inventor of the subject invention which lies in all of the cited fields.
The patents listed below are a sampling of the prior art:
______________________________________ U.S. 1,799,456 4,422,517 2,672,840 4,766,829 3,742,888 5,146,863 4,008,675 5,415,120 4,227,475 60-163788 Japan 4,196,686 SU-532-548 Soviet Union 895-341 British ______________________________________
In metropolitan areas involving islands and related waterways, increasing population generates increasing needs to facilitate traffic flow across the waterways. These needs can be met by building bridges and/or by using and improving ferry systems. Obviously each approach to meeting the increasing needs has its relative advantages and disadvantages. The overall objective of the subject invention is to improve the ratio of advantages to disadvantages for ferry systems, particularly the vessels used in the system, by improving the ratio of traffic flow rate capability of the vessels relative to their sizes as expressed in terms of their displacements. Meeting the overall objective is dependent on meeting other objectives. One such objective is that the vessel be capable of high speed, such as 40 to 50 knots, without creating unacceptable wake and with a low power to weight ratio and good fuel efficiency. Another objective is that the ratio of usable to total deck space be maximized. A third objective is that traffic flow onto, through and off the vessel by virtually free of impediment caused by lane changing and/or use of ramps and ramp adjustment. A fourth objective is that the vessel be economical to construct. Other objectives will become apparent in the following descriptions of the subject invention.